CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN STRASBOURG

HAILEY, THE AMERICAN IN FRANCE… WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR!?

Can you believe already December? Halloween seems like a distant memory.. Thanksgiving flew by.. and now we’ve arrived at the most magical time of the year— OK so that’s cheesy AF but it’s true!! Something about Christmas just warms me up inside, and if you disagree you can just stop reading, ya Grinch!!

There’s really nothing different about getting in the Christmas spirit in Europe, especially if you visit places— like Strasbourg, France. Strasbourg is a city in the northeastern part of France, right on the border of Germany. Because that it’s smack-dab on the border, and has been a part of Germany in the past, this city has a unique culture that takes the best parts of France and Germany and melds it into one! I mean crepes AND sausages?? Come on people!! 

Of course, you could visit this picturesque city year-round… But with the lit up buildings, large Christmas tree, and over 300 booths of all things holiday, I urge you to visit during the Christmas market season. The Christmas markets start November 24 and end December 30.

Strasbourg held its first Christmas market in 1570, making them the very first in France and one of the oldest in Europe. They even have coined the term the “Capital of Christmas.” And let me assure you, they aren’t playing around.

The whole city basically shuts down for this event every year for a month. (Literally. There’s security surrounding the city and the tram will not stop in the city center, but it’s a flat easy walk so don’t worry). There are multiple different clusters of booths around the city. And while the booths themselves mostly offer the same types of things from market to market, it’s fun to walk past all of the different buildings and shops of the area. For this reason, definitely get an early start to the day. The markets open at 11 a.m. But also don’t poop yourself out, because the markets are best when lit up at night. They remain open until 8 p.m. on weekdays, 9 p.m. on Fridays and 10 p.m. on Saturdays.

In each market you can find booth after booth of Christmas ornaments, decorations, etc. While there definitely were some gorgeous items, I found that the items were a little cheesy for actual gifts (but maybe that’s just my opinion). The city of Strasbourg had many different unique shops all around the city though, so don’t worry! Regardless it was nice to go from shop to shop to see what they had!

But my favorite part? THE FOOD. I mean it was like I died and went to heaven. As I was saying before, you’ve got a mix of France and Germany. I had a soft pretzel with cheese, a chocolate pastry, a bowl of warm scalloped potatoes with cheese and bacon, a sausage sandwich, and a banana Nutella crepe! My tip: Definitely scope out ALL your options before making your choice. Booths deceivingly look the same from the outside, but walk up and take a look for yourself to spot the differences. Also, the ones on the corner or at the end will probably be more busy. This isn’t because they’re the best, it’s because they have a convenient location. Go somewhere in the middle to find the shortest lines!

Had to wash down that striking amount of food with something to drink.. right? Well just my luck, they had the perfect thing: hot wine! Basically it’s warmed up wine with spicey-goodness in there. There are many different variations, like red, white, added whiskey, an apple cider non-alcoholic version, and many more. And it’ll come with a cute souvenir cup!

I’m telling you, if you’re in Europe do not miss out on this winter wonderland… and if you’re in the states, there’s always next year! Merry Christmas!!